SC - Documented Substitutions (Long)

[Christi Rigby]

Balthazar wrote:
Of course it proves that you can make substitutions that aren't listed
(again, provided those substitutions are appropriate to the dish, and
available at the time, and in the region in question).  The evidence points
to the fact that these recipes were not as strict and inflexible as the list
seems to think, but rather offered as guidelines to the medieval cook.
Substitutions within these recipes are based not only on "humoral theory",
but other factors such as personal tastes and likes/dislikes, and
availability.  Each cook would have added his own personal touches to the
recipe as he produced it.  To think that the variations listed in the body
of
the text are the only concievable variations used is ludicrous.
Preposterous, in fact.  The author of the recipe offered these variations,
but does not say that these are the only alterations "allowed".  The volume
of recipes which offer variant ideas says a lot about the willingness of a
medieval cook to use different ingredients to achieve a desired taste.  None
of the recipes I have read are carved in stone, nor do they indicate that
the
variations listed are the only appropriate ones.
_____________________________

If this is true, then why don't all the recipes offer substitutions?
Instead of just specific ones.  To me this only shows that certain recipes
had "acceptable" substitutions, not all recipes.

IMO
Murkial